Apparatus for measuring ionic activity

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for measuring ionic activity is comprised of a rotatable turret and at least one pair of vertically movable probes. The turret intermittently conveys slide-type ionic activity measuring devices, one by one, on each of which are spots of reference and sample solutions, to a measuring section where the probes come into contact with the measuring device so as to measure the potential difference corresponding to the difference in ionic activity of a specific ion between the reference and sample solutions. After measurement the turret further conveys the device to a discharging section where the device is automatically discharged.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to an apparatus for measuring ionic activity ofelectrolytes contained in aqueous liquid samples such as body fluids.More particularly, this invention relates to a novel potentiometricelectrolyte analyzer in which a slide-type ionic activity measuringdevice having ion-selective electrodes is transferred from a spottingsection to a discharging section by way of a measuring section.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Measurement of ionic activity of an electrolyte ion, for example Na⁺,K⁺, Cl⁻, Ca²⁺, HCO₃ ⁻ or CO₃ ²⁻, contained in such body fluids as wholeblood, blood plasma, blood serum, and urine, has significant importancein clinical chemistry tests. For this measurement, an ionic activitymeasuring apparatus, i.e. a so-called electrolyte analyzer, has beenused. Such techniques as flame analysis, coulometry and potentiometryare known for use in said analyzer.

In potentiometric measurement of ionic activity, an ionic activitymeasuring device having ion-selective electrodes is used. As such adevice, a dry type device having film-like ion-selective electrodes hasbeen disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,053,381 and 4,437,970.

The basic structure of this ionic activity measuring device is that of aslide comprising at least one pair of solid state electrodes each ofwhich has an ion-selective outermost layer and a porous bridge which canpromote capillary action between two such ion-selective layers. Theionic activity of a specific ion contained in a sample solution can bedetermined by spotting a reference solution on one of the ion-selectivelayers and a sample solution on the other and then measuring thepotential difference between the electrodes.

Accordingly, spotting of reference and sample solutions as well asmeasurement of potential difference must be conducted in an ionicactivity analyzer in which this slide type device is used.

In the conventional analyzer used for this purpose, slide-type devices(hereinafter referred to as "a slide") are drawn out, one at a time,from a cassette of such slides, put into a thermostatic means after thespotting of one or more droplets of a sample and reference solutionsthereon, and then transferred from said thermostatic means to ameasuring section where the measurement of the potential difference isconducted. This apparatus is large in its horizontal plane due to thelateral arrangement of the cassette, the spotting section, thethermostatic means and the measuring section. Accordingly, there hasbeen a demand for a smaller analyzer which is easy to use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is thus an object of the present invention to provide an apparatusfor measuring ionic activity which is compact and easy to use.

More specifically, it is an object of the present invention to provide apotentiometric ionic activity measuring apparatus in which a number ofslides can be efficiently measured within a small space.

The apparatus for measuring ionic activity in accordance with thepresent invention is characterized in that it has a turret on whichslides, supplied one by one, are conveyed, and at least one pair ofvertically movable probes for measuring a potential difference which canbe brought into electrical contact with the slides within the rotationarea of said turret.

The turret preferably comprises a disc which slidably rotates in thevicinity of a thermostatic plate (i.e. upon the plate or between a pairof such plates) maintained at a constant temperature by a thermostaticmeans such as a heater or a thermocooler. The periphery of said disc isformed at regular intervals into slide receiving portions each of whichreceives a slide which is conveyed by rotation of said disc while beingmaintained at a constant temperature.

The probe used in accordance with the present invention has aneedle-like terminals which can vertically and electrically come intocontact with the ion-selective electrodes of the slide, and iselectrically connected to a means for potential difference.

A discharging chute is provided preferably within the rotation area ofthe turret so that the slides can be automatically discharged by therotation of said turret after the measurement thereof. Also, thespotting section may be disposed within the rotation area of the turretso as to further reduce the size of the whole apparatus.

The ionic activity measuring apparatus in accordance with the presentinvention may further comprise an operation and display section foroperation and display of the measurement. Preferably, the supplyingmeans, turret, probes, discharging section, and operation and displaysection are disposed within a single housing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a potentiometric ionicactivity measuring device to which the apparatus in accordance with thepresent invention is applicable;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of another example of a potentiometricionic activity measuring device;

FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of an embodiment of the apparatusin accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of an example of a peristaltic pump which canbe used in the spotting section of the apparatus in accordance with thepresent invention;

FIG. 5 is a front view of an example of a drip dispenser which can beused in said spotting section;

FIG. 6A is a perspective view of an example of a probe assembly used inthe apparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 6B is a partial sectional side view of said probe assembly; and

FIG. 7 is a front view of an example of an operation and display sectionfor use in the apparatus in accordance with the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The preferred embodiments of the present invention will hereinbelow bedescribed with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an example of a slide-type ionicactivity measuring device or article (i.e. a slide) to which theapparatus in accordance with the present invention is applicable. Theslide here comprises a lower slide frame 1, an upper slide frame 2, andthree pairs of ion-selective electrodes 3.1A,3.1B; 3.2A,3.2B; and3.3A,3.3B, each of said pairs having an ion-selective outermost layer(not shown) and being disposed between said lower and upper slide frames1 and 2. Three pairs of through holes 6A,6B; 7A,7B; and 8A,8B are formedin the center portion 2A of the upper slide frame 2. These through holesare functionally divided into a pair of apertures for liquid-spotting 7Aand 7B, and two pairs of vent apertures 6A,6B; and 8A,8B. A porousbridge (spun yarn or thread bridge) 5 which can promote capillary actionis disposed on the vent apertures 6A and 6B. The ends of the bridge 5are fixed on the upper slide frame 2. Although not shown in the drawing,first and second porous members for liquid distribution (made of suchmaterial as cotton bandage, cotton gauze, or filter paper) are disposedbetween the ion-selective layers of the first set of ion-selectiveelectrodes 3.1A, 3.2A, and 3.3A and the first set of through holes 6A,7A and 8A; and between the ion-selective layers of the second set ofion-selective electrodes 3.1B, 3.2B, and 3.3B and the second set ofthrough holes 6B, 7B and 8B.

Each pair of said ion-selective electrodes may have a differention-selectivity, for example, the electrodes 3.lA and 3.1B for Na⁺ ;3.2A and 3.2B for K⁺ ; and 3.3A and 3.3B for C1⁻. In this case, forexample, one or more droplets of a reference solution containing Na⁺,K⁺, and C1⁻ of a known ionic activity is spotted on the aperture forliquid-spotting 7A and one or more droplets of a sample solution (e.g.whole blood or blood serum) is spotted on the aperture forliquid-spotting 7B so as to determine the ionic activity of said ions.Said reference and sample solutions diffuse through the porous membersfor liquid distribution so as to hemispherically rise from the ventapertures 6A and 6B, respectively, and then penetrate the porous bridge5 so that their interfaces meet within said bridge, thus forming anelectrical conduction therebetween. At that point, a pair of probes arebrought into contact with each pair of terminal portions of said pairsof electrodes, so that the potential difference between each pair ofsaid electrodes is measured (i.e. between 3.1A and 3.1B, 3.2A and 3.2B,and 3.3A and 3.3B). The term "potential difference" as used hereinrefers to difference in electro-motive force between a pair ofion-selective electrodes. The ionic activity of each of the ions isdetermined from thus measured potential difference with reference to itscorresponding calibration curve.

The foregoing type of slide which can simultaneously measure the ionicactivity of different ions is fully described in U.S. Pat. No.4,437,970.

FIG. 2 shows an example of an ionic activity measuring device in whichthe ionic activity of only one predetermined ion is measurable. Thisslide has a pair of apertures for liquid-spotting 9A and 9B, and a pairof ion-selective electrodes 3.4A and 3.4B corresponding thereto.

FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of the apparatus for measuring ionic activityin accordance with the present invention. The present invention willhereinbelow be described in detail with reference to this embodiment.

The apparatus represented by this drawing is contained in a housing 10and consists of a slide supplying section 11, a spotting section 12, athermostatic means 13, a measuring section 14, a discharging section 15,an operation and display section 16, and a printer 17.

The slide supplying section 11 comprises a slide holder 11A whichcontains a stack of slides, a slide pushing member 11B which pushes outone slide at a time from the lower end of said holder 11A, and a crankmember 11C driven by a motor 11D which reciprocates said pushing member11B. When the lowest slide is pushed out by the pushing member 11B inthe direction indicated by arrow A, the stack of slides within the slideholder 11A descends in the direction of arrow B. The pushing member 11Benters the slide holder 11A through an opening formed on a side face ofthe lower end thereof so as to push out a slide, and then exits from theholder 11A, allowing the next slide to descend to the lowermost positionin the holder 11A.

The slide pushed out of the holder 11A is thrust in the directionindicated by arrow C by charging means 11E which has a rack 11e whichengages with a pinion 11f fixed on the shaft of a motor 11F and which isreciprocated by the rotation of said motor 11F. The slide thrust by thecharging means llE is pushed into one of the slide receiving portions13a formed on the periphery of a disc-like turret 13A.

At a certain stage before, during (i.e. at a position where anintermittently supplied slide stops), and after the insertion of theslide, one or more droplets of the reference solution from a reservoir12A is spotted on the slide by means of a peristaltic pump 12B.

An example of a device to be used for the spotting of the referencesolution is shown in detail in FIG. 4. The intake of the peristalticpump 12B is connected to the reservoir 12A of the reference solution andthe outlet to a nozzle 12C, so that said reference solution is fed,droplet by droplet, from the nozzle 12C, by means of a motor 12D, ontoone of the pair of apertures for liquid-spotting of the slide locatedbelow the nozzle 12C. Such a peristaltic pump is preferably used for theapparatus in accordance with the present invention since the referencesolution is fed only in one direction so that it can be supplied at aconstant volume and concentration.

However, other types of spotting means, including the drip dispenserwith reservoir shown in FIG. 5, can also be used. The dispenserrepresented by this drawing comprises a reservoir 12A', a dischargingmeans 12B', a nozzle 12C' and a button 12D'. Each time the button 12D'is pressed, a droplet of the liquid contained in the reservoir 12A' isdischarged from the nozzle 12C'.

By using one of the spotting means described, a constant volume of thereference solution is deposited on one aperture for liquid-spotting(e.g. 7A of FIG. 1 or 9A of FIG. 2) of each slide.

Preferably at nearly the same time, one or more droplets of a samplesolution is manually or automatically spotted on the other aperture forliquid-spotting (e.g. 7B of FIG. 1 or 9B of FIG. 2) of the same slide,using any of the known techniques.

The slide which has been thus spotted is conveyed in the direction ofarrow D by the rotation of said turret 13A.

The turret 13A is rotatably disposed upon a thermostatic plate 13C whichis fixed to a heater (or a thermocooler) 13B, and is intermittentlyrotated in the direction of arrow D by means of a motor 13D. The angleof this intermittent rotation is equal to the angular distance betweenone slide receiving portion 13a and the next, said slide receivingportions being disposed equidistantly. A guiding wall having a heightnot less than the thickness of the turret 13A is formed around the rimof said turret 13A so as to prevent the slides from falling out from theslide receiving portions 13a due to the rotation of said turret 13A.

In order to prevent the reference and sample solutions spotted on theslides from evaporating water as well as to sufficiently maintain thethermostatic effect obtained by the thermostatic plate 13C, a cover (notshown) which shields the upper faces of the slides from the ambientatmosphere is disposed upon the turret 13A. Naturally, this cover has anopening at the measuring section, which will be described hereinbelow,and at the spotting section in case the slide is inserted into the slidereceiving portion 13a in the turret 13A prior to the spotting, so thatnecessary operations can be conducted with the cover in place.

Within the rotation area of the turret 13A, a vertically movable probeassembly 14A for measuring potential difference is disposed. As shown inFIGS. 6A and 6B, the aforesaid measuring section 14 comprises the probeassembly 14A having, if the slide shown in FIG. 1 is used, sixneedle-like terminals 14a, 14b, 14c, . . . which are resilientlyprojected, and lead wires 14g, 14h, and 14i for outputting the potentialdifference from contacts 14d, 14e, and 14f of said terminals to ameasuring circuit (not shown); and a guide 14B to which said probeassembly 14A is connected so as to be vertically movable. This probeassembly 14 is vertically moved by means of a known mechanism (notshown) which is driven by a motor 14C.

Though in accordance with the foregoing embodiment the slide is conveyedwith its apertures for liquid-spotting facing up, the slide can also beconveyed with said apertures facing down. In the latter case, the probeassembly may be moved upwardly from below with its probes projecting upso as to come into contact with the terminals of said slide.

The turret 13A conveys the slide, by way of the measuring section 14, tothe discharging section 15 which consists of a discharging chute 15Aformed in the thermostatic plate 13C. Since the slide receiving portion13a of the turret 13A consists of a cutout, the slide received in thecutout is slidably shifted on the thermostatic plate 13C together withthe rotation of said turret 13A so as to be cast off at and dischargedthrough the discharging chute 15A which is slantingly formed beneath thethermostatic plate 13C.

The operation and display section 16 shown in FIG. 7 comprises a powerswitch 16a; a display for ion species 16b (in which "MULT" is a lampindicating that such a multi-type slide with three pairs of theion-selective electrodes (each for a predetermined ion species) as shownin FIG. 1 is being measured); a display for the measured ionic activity16c; a lamp 16d for indicating the measurement ready status; a warninglamp 16e; a number keyboard 16f through which calibration data, IDs andthe like are inputted; and other operation buttons 16g for variouspurposes; all of which are disposed on an operation panel 16A.

The measured results are printed out on a paper 17A by the printer 17.An interface for the printer 17B is disposed between said printer 17 andsaid panel 16A.

We claim:
 1. An apparatus for measuring ionic activity comprising:ameans for supplying slide-type ionic activity measuring devices, one byone, each said measuring device having at least one pair ofion-selective electrodes, each of which generate a potential differencecorresponding to the ionic activity of one specific ion, and a porousbridge disposed between the ion-selective layers of at least one pair ofsaid ion-selective electrodes; a reference spotting means for spotting asubstantially predetermined constant volume of a reference solution onone ion-selective layer of said pair of ion-selective electrodes of saidmeasuring device; a sample spotting means for spotting a substantiallypredetermined constant volume of a sample solution on the otherion-selective layer of said pair of ion-selective electrodes of saidmeasuring device; a discharging chute for discharging said measuringdevice; a first conveying means for conveying said measuring device to ameasuring section after a sample solution is spotted on the otherion-selective layer of said pair of ion-selective electrodes; at leastone pair of probes electrically connected to a means for measuringpotential difference and having needle-like terminals which come intocontact with said measuring device so as to measure the potentialdifference between said pair of ion-selective electrodes; a secondconveying means for conveying said measuring device to said dischargingchute after the measurement; and a cover for substantially shieldingsaid measuring device from an ambient atmosphere; said first and secondconveying means consisting of a turret which intermittently rotateswhile sucessively receiving said measuring devices one after the other;said reference spotting means being disposed within the rotation area ofsaid turret; said turret having a plurality of measuring devicereceiving portions formed in the periphery of said turret at regularintervals; said pair of probes being vertically movable in such thatsaid pair of probes come into electrical contact with said pair ofion-selective electrodes so as to measure the potential differencebetween the ion-selective electrodes when said measuring device ismotionless on said turret, and then separates from the ion-selectiveelectrodes before said turret makes its next intermittent move; saiddischarging chute being formed within the rotation area of said turretso that said measuring device is automatically discharged through saiddischarging chute by the rotation of said turret after the measurement.2. An apparatus for measuring ionic activity as defined in claim 1wherein said first conveying means has a thermostatic means to maintainsaid measuring device at a constant temperature during motion.
 3. Anapparatus for measuring ionic activity as defined in claim 1 whereinsaid turret consists of a disc at least a part of which forming saidfirst conveying means is slidably rotatable in the vicinity of athermostatic plate and in the periphery of which a plurality ofmeasuring device receiving portions are formed.
 4. An apparatus formeasuring ionic activity as defined in claim 1 wherein said turretconsists of a disc, a part of which forming said first and secondconveying means is slidably rotatable on a thermostatic plate and in theperiphery of which is formed a plurality of measuring device receivingportions, and said thermostatic plate has a discharging port connectedto said discharging chute.
 5. An apparatus for measuring ionic activityas defined in claim 1 wherein a guiding wall having a height not lessthan the thickness of said turret is formed around the rim of saidturret.
 6. An apparatus for measuring ionic activity as defined in claim1 wherein said supplying means comprises a slide holder and a pushingmember, said slide holder containing a stack of said ionic activitymeasuring devices, and said pushing member pushing out said measuringdevices, one by one, from the bottom of said slide holder.
 7. Anapparatus for measuring ionic activity as defined in claim 1 whichfurther comprises an operation and display section having an operationpanel and a display section for indicating the output of said probeswherein said operation and display section is disposed in a housing soas to be viewable from the outside thereof, and said supplying means,said spotting means, said turret, and said probes are contained withinsaid housing.
 8. An apparatus for measuring ionic activity as defined inclaim 1 wherein said pair of probes have a plurality of pairs ofneedle-like terminals adapted to simultaneously come into contact with aplurality of pairs of ion-selective electrodes of said measuring device.